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Jury still out on Wallabies

The Wallabies took care of their biggest test of 2010, but the jury is still out on whether the Quade Cooper-charged side can have the breakthrough Tri Nations they'll need to finally fill the trophy cabinet with the silverware that they so desperately desire.

Sunday, 25 July 2010

Sportal.co.nz

The Wallabies took care of their biggest test of 2010, but the jury is still out on whether the Quade Cooper-charged side can have the breakthrough Tri Nations they'll need to finally fill the trophy cabinet with the silverware that they so desperately desire.

Whether or not the Wallabies can match it with the red hot Kiwi side remains to be seen, but the approach and talent shown by some of Australia's young recruits have many excited about the potential of the youthful side.

Twenty-two-year-old David Pocock backed up his stand-out performance in the corresponding 2009 Tri Nations match with a man of the match performance that had the hierarchy on both sides of the offence noting his influence.

Springboks skipper John Smit said: "David Pocock was all over the break-down today, that was massive, and we just didn't match it.

"It's the kind of stuff that kill you. It's hard enough playing away from then you've go to make sure that if you've got opportunities there you have to take it."

Earlier in the week Pocock had been tipped by Jim Williams and Rocky Elsom to prove a difference maker in the clash, and while the humble flanker downplayed talk at the time, he certainly delivered on his pledge to show up for his team mate in a manner reminiscent of George Smith.

Pocock's try-saving tackle on Springboks flyer Bryan Habana typified the efforts of the gutsy Wallabies No.7, who earned his side several key penalties with stellar grunt-work at the break-down.

There were several 'wow' moments from the young Australian players who, if they stick true to their attacking instincts, promise to entertain rugby fans for a generation to come.

Twenty-year-old James O'Connor tried hard all night and despite dropping the first bomb launched by the Boks, came back to excite with his footwork and even make a dominant, dumping tackle on a much heavier South African prop.

Rob Horne made some telling hits in defence. Drew Mitchell came back from his axing from the initial squad with a credible performance in which he showed beautiful hands at times and scored a highlight-reel juggling try.

Not everything Quade Cooper turned to gold, but the live-wire five-eighth again showed glimpses of magic that excited the keyed up Suncorp crowd of 44, 284 and vindicated his continued selection at No.10 ahead of Matt Giteau who had an eye-catching showing at inside-centre.

Berrick Barnes replaced Giteau in the second-stanza and reminded Wallabies fans of his talent with some accurate kicking and typically reliable defence. Waiting in the wings are attacking weapons Kurtley Beale, Digby Ioane and Anthony Faingaa.

Adam Ashley-Cooper showed courage attacking the high-ball and provided reliability strength in defense to earn a post-game wrap from David Pocock for his efforts.

But of all the young Wallabies showing potential, it was Will Genia that many consider to have been the Wallabies' next best after Pocock.
Genia used his attacking darts form the scrum-base sparingly and to great affect. He provided crisp service and marshalled the Australian forwards even as the Wallaby back-line plunged full-steam ahead in a frantic contest.

The plucky scrum-half was named the player of last season's Super 14 earlier in the week by his South African opposite Ruan Pienaar, and the victory-sealing try by Genia was typical of the intuitive football that drove the Reds to their best result in years.

Rocky Elsom and Nathan Sharpe - who lost a tooth in the course of play - were strong leaders on the field and are the kind of men that provide the hard edge vital to the young team's success.

The Wallabies never reached fifth gear on the night, and coach Robbie Deans is fully aware that the true test of their credibility will come next weekend when they take on the rampaging All Blacks.

But even so, the signs are there that in time, this confident and youthful Austalian side could make the serious challenge to the Tri Nations and Bledisloe silverware.

The interpretations of the Northern Hemisphere referees came under serious criticism from the South African coach de Villiers earlier in the week, and after two more of his players were yellow carded for infringements it's obvious the Springboks are struggling to meet the standards of discipline being set.

Meanwhile, the All Blacks and Wallabies alike have had success, in a tournament that Robbie Deans has said feels distinctly different to the 2009 competition, by holding onto the ball and playing attacking rugby.

But the Australians have won at their Suncorp fortress before only to fall away in following matches, and so it remains too early to tell whether this is the year the team will make the charge.

The Wallabies were far from perfect and the same mistakes won't go unpunished against the All Blacks, but there's no doubt that if coach Robbie Deans had have been offered a 17 point win pre-game he'd have taken it.

As the coach said post-game, you can't not be happy with a decisive win over the reigning World and Tri Nations champions, regardless of their form or history at the venue.

"You've got be happy with the performance. There's a lot of stuff to be proud of, particularly the defence," he said.

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